Method of Drawing a Graphical Object

Abstract

A method is presented to control the value of an attribute of a graphical object in an image displayed on a visual display screen, comprising use of a position indicator represented on the visual display screen and comprising use of a user interaction tool to generate user events and control the position of the position indicator represented on the visual display screen. The method makes the control of the attributes of graphical objects more efficient by mapping the value of the attribute to time in that the value of the attribute is controlled by the length of time between the pair of user events. The invention also relates to a computer program, a web service for the viewing and/or processing of medical images, an imaging system, a workstation and a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).

1 . A method to control the value of an attribute of a graphical object in an image displayed on a visual display screen, the method comprising use of a position indicator represented on the visual display screen, and further comprising use of a user interaction tool to generate user events and control the position of the position indicator represented on the visual display screen, whereby the user interaction tool is used to position the position indicator at a position in the visual display screen related to the graphical object, and in which a pair of user events are initiated by the user via the user interaction tool, characterized in that, the value of the attribute is controlled by the length of time between the pair of user events. 
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the value of the attribute is visually displayed as the attribute of the graphical object on the visual display screen as it is controlled. 
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the second user event is initiated when the position indicator displayed on the visual display screen is at substantially the same position at which the first user event was initiated. 
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the position in the visual display screen related to the graphical object, at which the position indicator is positioned, is a position which will be included in the graphical object when the control of the value of the attribute is terminated. 
   
   
       5 . A computer program to control the value of an attribute of a graphical object in an image displayed on a visual display screen, the computer program comprising code to receive first data from a user interaction tool, which first data is used to control the position of a position indicator on the visual display screen, and also receive second data from the user interaction tool, which second data is representative of a pair of events generated with the user interaction tool, characterized in that, the value of the attribute is controlled by the length of time between the pair of events. 
   
   
       6 . A computer program as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the computer program further comprises code to display the value of the attribute on the visual display screen as the attribute of the graphical object as the value of the attribute is controlled. 
   
   
       7 . A computer program product, comprising a computer program according to  claim 5 . 
   
   
       8 . A program for the viewing of medical images, comprising a computer program according to  claim 5 . 
   
   
       9 . A web service for the viewing and/or processing of medical images, comprising a computer program according to  5 . 
   
   
       10 . A web service as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that the computer program is arranged to be accessible on a server and arranged to be accessible by a remote computer. 
   
   
       11 . An imaging system, for the acquisition and viewing of medical image, comprising a computer program according to  claim 5 . 
   
   
       12 . A workstation for the viewing and processing of medical images comprising a computer program according to  claim 5 . 
   
   
       13 . A Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) comprising a computer program according to  claim 5 .